National Park Service Celebrates 99th Birthday on August 25

Date: August 20, 2015
Contact: Johnny Carawan, NPS Centennial Coordinator and Management Assistant, [phone]

Superintendent John J. Donahue encourages the public to celebrate the National Park Service’s 99th birthday by finding their park at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area on August 25, NPS Founder’s Day. “The park has a vast network of trails, campsites, boating and swimming opportunities, and more and I personally invite everyone to come and experience all this park has to offer first hand. We provide people with the opportunity to be inspired every day,” said Donahue.

August 25 marks the 99th birthday of the National Park Service. This is a special day on which we can all celebrate what has become known as “America’s Best Idea.” Established by Congress in 1916, the National Park Service is charged with preserving our country’s natural and cultural resources for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. 

There are more than 400 different national parks in the United States and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is one of the top 20 most-visited sites within the national park system. As one of the largest public open spaces remaining in the northeastern metropolitan corridor, the park provides a broad diversity of exceptional and close-to-home recreational opportunities such as: canoeing, kayaking, fishing, boating and swimming. The park also boasts more than 186 miles of trails, 160 miles of scenic touring roads, visitor centers, picnic areas, historic sites, boat launches, and scenic vistas. It is also home to approximately 35 miles of the Middle Delaware National Scenic and Recreational River, a separate NPS unit within the recreation area boundary. 

For information about Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and all of its programs, services and facilities, call park headquarters at 570-426-2452 (weekdays), visit the park’s website, www.nps.gov/dewa, or follow the park on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DelWaterGapNPS and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DelWaterGapNPS.